1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to spray heads, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved safety top sprayer utilizing a plurality of safety features to avoid misuse of the apparatus particularly by children and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of spray heads and the like is well known in the prior art as their use in combination with fluid containers of various types to enable a dispensing of the fluid contents of the container by means of a spray or a stream. As may be understood, these devices are the subject of an on-going curiosity by children and the like with the attendant unwarranted and unsupervised dispensing of fluids from such containers. There have been attempts in the prior art to provide devices to thwart such unwarranted tampering, but such devices are generally of complex or ineffective configuration as opposed to the instant invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,023 to Umstead utilizes a clip-on security lock employing a lowermost portion securable to the base of a spray head in an aerosol container with a displaceable biased hinge to displace an uppermost portion from a first position to block the actuation of the spray head to a manually displaceable second position to enable depressing of the spray head to dispel contents from within the associated container. The Umstead patent is of interest but is typical of an easily manipulatable device absent of the plural locking and safety mechanisms of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,036 to Kirk sets forth a spray actuator assembly wherein the cap utilizes a series of flats with an underlying dispensing button where the dispensing button includes a series of flats with a series of tabs thereon. A cover piece enclosing the button exposes a portion of the button for finger engagement in a guide slot and the cover button prevents relative movement between the button and the cover. The associated flats of the cap and dispensing button maintain alignment of the items. The device is of interest relative to effecting a directional displacement of spray, but fails to provide the plural safety mechanisms as evidenced by the use of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,501 to Foster sets forth a reciprocatable dispensing plunger utilizing reciprocatably displaceable head and lower portion to disengage the two and enable dispensing of contents from within the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,695 to Garneau provides a child-resistant nozzle in combination with a sprayer utilizing an on/off position as well as a sprayer stream position to selectively effect and attempt to prevent unwarranted discharge of contents of an associated container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,228 to Diamond sets forth a safety type sprayer wherein a safety device is permitted between a spraying and non-spraying position of the head providing a blocking and releasing position relative to the actuator head to prevent or permit displacement of fluid from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,574 to Foster provides a plurality of serrations on an upper end of a pump body for enabling displacement of the discharge head from a plurality of positions to permit a locking or unlocking of the spray head to enable discharge of fluid through the spray head.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved safety top sprayer that utilizes a plurality of positions to prevent unwarranted discharge of contents from within a container and to this end, the instant invention substantially fulfills this need effecting not only a locking of a spray head relative to an enclosure to prevent reciprocation of the tube, but furthermore provides a locking and unlocking of the tube to selectively effect a continuous or discontinuous conduit from the container's interior to the spray head.